Junior right-hander Luke Kuczewski pitched into the ninth after his teammates scored twice in the sixth with two outs as Fredonia defeated Oneonta, 5-3, in the first game of a three-game SUNYAC series at Ludwig Field.

Kuczewski improved to 4-1 and the Blue Devils upped their mark to 11-8 overall and 2-5 in the conference. Senior right-hander Steve Zaprowski got the final three outs for his third save.

The Blue Devils broke a 3-3 tie when senior Derek Fie doubled to lead off the sixth, went to third on an infield groundout, and scored on a throwing error with two outs. J.T. Angora, a senior, then lined a triple to right-center to plate an insurance run.

Kuczewski retired Oneonta in order in the seventh and eighth innings before issuing a lead-off walk in the ninth. He exited after allowing nine hits, walking four, and striking out three. Zaprowski needed just nine pitches for the save and drop Oneonta to 7-17 overall and 3-7 in SUNYAC.

Fredonia took a 3-0 lead in the last of the first on an RBI single by Angora, a grounder back to the mound by senior Daniel Goodbread, and a double to right-center by senior Joshua Crocetti. Oneonta battled back with three runs in the fourth.

The series resumes today with a doubleheader scheduled to start at 10 a.m.

Softball

Blue Devils split doubleheader with Brockport

BUFFALO — Fredonia rallied for a 7-6 win in the second game of its SUNYAC softball doubleheader Friday with Brockport. The Blue Devils dropped the opener, 9-4. The doubleheader was played at D’Youville College.

The Blue Devils trailed 5-4 and were down to their final out when sophomore Katie Yudin singled to right. She scored the tying run when freshman Makenzie Keeler doubled to center, who in turn scored the go-ahead run on a double to right-center by Cassie Herman.

With freshman Amanda Russo running for Herman, senior Katelyn Dennis singled to third. A throwing error enabled Russo to score an important insurance run.

Brockport cut Fredonia’s lead to one run with two outs in the last of the seventh. Yudin got the final out and earned a save in relief of sophomore right-hander Sam Seegar, who picked up her fourth win of the season.

Keeler led the Fredonia offense with two doubles, a single, three RBI and two runs scored while Yudin had two doubles, a single, and three runs scored. Dennis and freshman Eva FitzSimmons had two hits and one RBI each.

Yudin was the Fredonia starter, Seeger relieved and pitched 2 2/3 innings, before Yudin returned with two outs in the seventh.

The Blue Devils trailed throughout their Game 1 loss, yielding three runs in the second, third, and sixth innings. Their 11-hit attack included two hits each by senior Lauren Pixley and freshmen Megan Maull and Alyssa Piniewski. Piniewski had a triple. Herman, FitzSimmons, and junior Rhianna Paoletti each had a double.

Today’s SUNYAC doubleheader at Geneseo has been postponed and rescheduled for next Wednesday.